Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device (LCD), and more particularly, to an LCD including a nano capsule liquid crystal layer.
Discussion of the Related Art
With the advancement of information society, display technology for displaying images based on electric information signals has rapidly advanced. Accordingly, as flat display devices with advantages of thin profile, light weight, and low power consumption, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, a plasma display panel (PDP) device, an electroluminescent display (ELD) device, a field emission display (FED) device, and the like have been introduced and have rapidly replaced the cathode ray tube (CRT) device.
Among the flat display devices, LCDs are most widely used in laptops, monitors, televisions (TVs) because they are excellent in displaying moving images and a high contrast ratio. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an LCD according to the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1, a related art LCD 10 includes a liquid crystal panel having a first substrate 2, and a second substrate 4 attached to the first substrate 2 with a liquid crystal layer 50 therebetween, and a backlight 60. Here, a thin film transistor Tr on the first substrate 2, which includes a gate electrode 12, a gate insulating layer 13, an active layer 14, ohmic contact layers 15a and 15b, and source and drain electrodes 16 and 17, is connected to a first electrode 19 in a pixel region 19 through a contact hole formed in an inter-layered insulating film 18.
Further, a black matrix 32 is below the second substrate 4, and has a lattice shape to surround the pixel region P such that the black matrix 32 shields a non-display element such as the thin film transistor Tr and exposes the first electrode 19. Additionally, a color filter 34 is arranged in the lattice-shaped black matrix 32 corresponding to the pixel region P, and a second electrode is arranged to cover the black matrix 32 and the color filter 34. Polarizing plates 20 and 30 each selectively transmitting a predetermined polarized light are attached below the first substrate 2 and on the second substrate 4, respectively.
Further, a first alignment layer 31a having a surface rubbed in a predetermined direction is between the liquid crystal layer 50 and the first electrode 19, and a second alignment layer 31b having a surface rubbed in a predetermined direction is between the liquid crystal layer 50 and the second electrode 36, and thus, an initial arrangement state and an alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules are uniform. To prevent leakage of the liquid crystal layer 50, a seal pattern 70 is arranged along edge portions of the first and second substrates 2 and 4.
Because the LCD 10 is not self-luminescent, the backlight 60 is arranged below the liquid crystal panel as a light source to supply light to the liquid crystal panel.
As the liquid crystal layer for the LCD 10, a nematic liquid crystal, a smetic liquid crystal, a cholesteric liquid, or the like is used. The nematic liquid crystal is most commonly used.
However, in the related art LCD 10, there is an disadvantage that an alignment process when attaching the two substrates 2 and 4 is additionally required after the substrates 2 and 4 are individually manufactured. Further, processes of printing and rubbing the alignment layers 31a and 31b to align the liquid crystal are required, and due to these processes, production rate is reduced. Moreover, a gap between the two substrates 2 and 4 needs to be maintained after attaching the substrates 2 and 4 and injecting the liquid crystal between the substrates 2 and 4, and if a gap between the two substrates changes by an external pressure or impact, display quality may be degraded.